YEMEN. Emir of AQAP frees 73 soldiers. They repented and promised not to fight against Islam


SANAA — Al-Qaeda on Sunday freed dozens of soldiers captured in
battles in southern Yemen."Al-Qaeda has released 73 soldiers they seized in the south in early March," said a provincial official in the militant stronghold of Jaar.

The soldiers were "driven in two buses from Jaar to Aden," the main southern city, the official said, adding that religious and tribal mediators had secured their release.

On March 4, militants from the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighting under the banner of the Partisans of Sharia (Islamic law), attacked an army camp near the provincial capital Zinjibar, killing 185 soldiers and capturing scores.In a statement claiming responsibility for the assault, Al-Qaeda said it was holding 73 soldiers.

The announcement of their release came as rumours circulated the soldiers might be executed.

The Partisans of Sharia have expanded their control over Yemen's lawless southern and eastern provinces, taking advantage of a weakened central government in Sanaa and months of
political upheaval.

The jihadist network intensified its attacks on the security forces after President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi took office in February pledging to hunt down the militants.On Tuesday, Hadi
held talks with FBI Director Robert Mueller on the growing threat from Al-Qaeda in Yemen, which Washington considers the global network's most active branch.


Reporters stressed that the release was not the result of pressure on the AQAP and or for a ransom. At the ceremony, all captive soldiers brought Tauba (repentance) and vowed to no longer fight against the Mujahideen.



AFP SOURCE




Another Release on the Way?




According to the Arab News,the Mujahideen of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) have
demanded the Saudi regime to release of 15 Muslims, including six women,
in Saudi Arabian jails as part of a swap deal to free puppet diplomat
Abdullah al-Khalidi, captured in Aden on March 28.




Now the Saudi and Yemeni puppets have been trying to pinpoint the location of the deputy consul al-Khalidi.



The six Muslim women unjustly held in Saudi jails Al-Qaeda wants to be
released are Haila Al-Qusayyir, Najwa Al-Saedi, Arwa Baghdadi, Hanan
Samkari, Najla Al-Rumi and Haifa Al-Ahmadi.



Others in the list include Faris Al-Zahrani, Abdul Kareem Al-Homaid,
Abdul Aziz Al-Towailaei, Waleed Al-Sinani, Ali Al-Khodair, Muhammad
Al-Soqabi.



The list also includes the names of famous Islamic scholars: Nassir al-Fahd (see photo), Sulaiman Al-Olwan (see photo) and Khalid al-Rahshid (see video).



It is to be recalled that the mentioned sheikhs had long been held in
Saudi torture chambers, the reason for their arrest was adamant position
of these scholars regarding the Taghuts.



They were convicted under the article of "terrorism". This is reported by a source of Arab News.



It is to be recalled that earlier Reuters reported
with reference to Arab sources that if the Mujahideen demands are not
met, al-Qaeda will execute diplomat al-Khalidi. The puppets also said
that AQAP can attack the Saudi embassies.



A few days ago, the Saudis declared that they rejected any negotiations
with the Mujahideen and promise to "do everything possible" to release
the arrested diplomat.



"The Saudi government cannot negotiate or bargain with Al-Qaeda, the
kidnapping party", the Saudi-owned al-Hayat newspaper quoted assistant
foreign minister, Prince Khaled bin Saud, as saying.



"We are working and will work with all our power, and we have
instructions from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques..., to follow up
with the brothers in Yemen (meaning Yemeni apostates) to ensure his
release", he added.